Policy & Legislation

Improve our industry’s playing field

NCBPA leads efforts to advocate and lobby for an improved playing field in North Carolina’s crowded landscape of policy, legislative and regulatory changes. Join NCBPA to support out efforts to create a better business environment for your company, its staff and your employees well into the future.

Your Voice Matters

There are many timely local, state and national policy issues that directly impact our member companies and professionals. These include federal tax overhauls, state mandated building and energy codes, and local workforce and economic development issues. These issues aren’t just impacting builders and contractors, they affect our industry professionals working in the field and those that work with us. Product manufacturers, service providers, program administrators, local utilities and other companies are also affected by industry policies and regulations.

NCBPA is the most active organization in the state to voice concerns and take proactive action in support of energy efficient, green and high performance construction – focusing on impacts to the companies and professionals in our industry. Our association takes a proactive stance on many of these issues, proposing legislative and regulatory changes that improve our business climate and level the playing field for our industry. However, the association is only as strong as its members: the more members who participate, the more likely it is that our voices will be heard.

The most important ingredient of a successful association is an active membership that is willing to have its voice heard by the public and by our elected officials. The accomplishments that can be realized through strong, grassroots efforts of our members are limitless. NCBPA is the industry organizer of these efforts, but we need your voice to make a real impact.

NC’s Energy Efficiency Policy Roadmap

On October 17, 2017, NCBPA released a first-ever energy efficiency policy report entitled “The Business Case for Energy Efficiency: How Investing in Less Creates More for North Carolina” offering local and state government officials, utilities, regulators and industry stakeholders clear recommendations for improving the state’s support for energy efficient construction. Implementing the report’s recommendations will yield statewide economic development, job creation and building infrastructure resiliency through new and increased investment in energy efficiency. Click here to download a PDF copy of the report.

The seven recommendations are:

Utility and Regulatory Environment: Expand and modernize utility energy efficiency programs and the regulatory environment that regulates them to achieve at least 1% net utility energy efficiency savings by 2023.

Building and Energy Codes: Adopt and provide education on improved building and energy codes, add an energy seat to the NC Building Code Council and promote above-code utility energy efficiency incentive programs.

Energy, Water and Performance Benchmarking: Create and implement a statewide plan that establishes voluntary and mandatory energy, water and performance benchmarking in homes and buildings.

Multifamily and Low-Income Financial Barriers: Reduce the financial barriers that prevent builders, owners, occupants and federally-funded programs from participating in energy efficient construction in multifamily and low-income homes and buildings.

Strategic State Support and Resources: Reinforce and increase the current low-level of state support for public entities involved with energy efficiency and establish an energy roadmap that prioritizes using less before creating new

Workforce Development: Expand state and local support for workforce development programs that train students and displaced workers to fill the vital need for more skilled workers in the state’s energy efficiency trades

Vote for Elected Officials that Support our Industry

Given the importance of local and state politics to our members and the fact that every vote truly does make a difference, elections represent an infrequent but important opportunity for our industry to elect friendly candidates to public office at the local, state and national levels.

NCBPA maintains a member-led Policy & Legislation Committee tasked with identifying candidates and incumbents that support our industry. An analysis of candidate support related solely to our industry will be provided to members beginning in 2018. Contact us to get involved in these efforts.

In addition to voting in local elections, member professionals can make a big difference in the outcome of important races by directly participating in individual campaigns. This could include making a financial contribution, putting up yard signs, asking your peers to vote for pro-industry candidates, or hosting fundraisers for industry-friendly candidates running in your district.

Participate in Face-to-Face Meetings with Elected Officials

Throughout the year, NCBPA Staff led by principal lobbyist Ryan Miller and members of the Policy & Legislation Committee hold regular meetings with local, state and federal elected officials to discuss issues important to the our association and industry. Having member professionals attend these meetings is an extremely effective way to get our message across. That is because you are their constituents, and you have the unique ability to tell these officials exactly how a given policy affects you and others in the industry.

Click on the article below for a recap of our September lobby day in Washington, DC.

Following the October release of our energy efficiency policy report entitled “The Business Case for Energy Efficiency: How Investing in Less Creates More for North Carolina”, our staff has been on the road sharing our recommendations with municipalities, utilities, trade groups and legislators across the state.

We presented our report to the Governor’s office on December 4, 2017 and were later invited to present to the Energy Policy Council’s (EPC) Energy Efficiency Committee this past Monday. The EPC is comprised of energy industry leaders appointed by the Governor to advise on domestic energy legislation and rulemakings. The Energy Efficiency Committee focuses on energy efficiency topics in the built environment, for the grid and transportation.

Testify Before a Council or Board

Hearings are an opportunity to assert our positions for the public record when policy changes are being considered. In particular, NCBPA staff and members have become increasingly involved in building and energy code development over the past two years, and have also begun presenting to state commissions, committees and councils representing energy efficiency policy, utility regulation and more. The willingness of members to attend these public hearings from time to time and provide testimony on key industry issues is important to influencing the outcomes of policy debates.

Write a Letter to the Editor of Your Local Newspaper

Support local, state and national industry advocacy efforts by working with NCBPA to contribute Op-Eds in local media outlets across the state. Leverage your experience, voice and local connections to gain attention and support for policy, legislative and regulatory issues impacting our industry. A letter to the editor is an important tool we can use to help educate the public on our issues. Additionally, insofar as elected officials read letters to the editor, they can help influence policy decisions on issues important to the home building industry.

NCBPA staff are drafting content on policy initiatives including energy code, C-PACE financing, local government ordinances and much more that our members will use in their articles. We’ll help you craft effective messages, get them placed in local media outlets and then share them statewide.

Building and Energy Code

NCBPA has a long list of code petitions to put forward in early 2018 that will make incremental improvements to the code minimums for both commercial and residential buildings during the next six-year cycle. Our list includes requiring ERI/HERS scores in homes by 2021, requiring third party commissioning of non-residential buildings and adding an Energy seat to the council. This last item requires us to pass state legislation and nominate a qualified candidate.

NCBPA will continue to advocate for improvements to residential and commercial building and energy code on behalf of our members and will notify you all when your voice is needed. Join our Building & Energy Codes Committee to get more involved in our code development efforts.